According to Haslam, Brian Hoyer is the team’s starting quarterback and will remain the starter until Manziel is able to prove that he’s the right man to lead the team. Manziel “is not the starter. Johnny’s the backup,” Haslam said.

That may be the case for now, but if recent history is any guide, Pettine will choose Manziel to be the starter when the season begins: The last five quarterbacks to be drafted in the first round have all been their teams’ Week One starters. While Manziel may technically be behind Hoyer on the depth chart now, the Browns wouldn’t have used a first-round pick on Manziel if they didn’t expect him to surpass Hoyer. Preferably sooner rather than later.

This could be a very good situation for the Browns. If Gordon’s suspended the whole year, they can start Hoyer and make him look bad, then next year have a reason to go to Manziel. Or maybe Hoyer does well, mentors Manziel, and the Browns finally have a QB. Can’t wait to see Manziel in preseason since he’ll likely sit on the bench to at least start the year.

The Browns reportedly had his name on the card at #22 and then flipped it to Johny Manziel because a homeless man told them too.

Teddy Bridgewater is easily the most NFL ready QB with a college high 71% completition percentage and is the most pocket aware & has great intangibles that you look for in someone who is going to be the face of your franchise.

I honestly believe that homeless man was part of the Browns curse in the factory of sadness.

As a Browns fan, I am glad to see this is what the position of our organization is. I honestly don’t think Manziel is going to pan out but I want him to more than anything obviously. I want the best man to win the QB starting role. This is a good problem to have and people don’t give Hoyer enough credit while giving an unproven, undersized rookie too much.

I truly don’t understand the rush to get these guys on the field week one. Especially now, with their team friendly contracts. Let them sit, learn, and in some cases (most def Johnny’s), mature. Why rush them into failure when a season or two of learning could make all the difference. Just ask Mr. Sixth round Tom Brady. Sitting for a year and some games worked out pretty darn well there.

Vikings fan here. You would hope sitting Manziel would humble him so he can grow, learn, and be ready come his turn. Cleveland had their reasons for taking him and I hope he works out for the Browns like I hope Bridgewater works out for my Vikings. Like the Browns with Hoyer, I hope the Vikings start Cassel until Bridgewater proves he’s ready to go. Best of luck, Browns fans!

Hey another Browns story. Not a single NFL Super Bowl, three trips to the AFC title game,more modern day losses than wins,yet evey third article is about them. Manziel has done his job without putting on a jersey. Heck,he even got noted Cowboys lover LeBron James to wear a Browns jersey. Of course he won’t be named the starter,that’s how you drum up interest. They’re doing right by actually developing him. Shannahan saw how Griffith regressed,even Luck slid back after his great rookie season. Let him sit until ready…everybody loves the backup and when it’s his time to go in,double those sales numbers!

He shouldnt be the starter, he should earn it. Anyone saying Manziel will be the starter week one. Remember Anderson vs Frye vs Quinn in 08, Quinn was the first round pick. Frye won the job, and Anderson finished the season with a 10-6 record.

To the 2,000 new season ticket holders arent you glad Scammin Jimmy Haslem told you Josh Gordon was out for the year before you bought them? O he waited til 5 pm to announce it. Lets see scamming truckers now hes scamming his own fans.

Hey @sportsfan18 – here’s another recent NFL history lesson for you. The Browns lost a playoff game in 2002, in the only one since they came back. Which means that Browns QB has a losing playoff record, just like Peyton

You are the one that picked him Haslem. How are you of all people going to tell someone how to act, when you are a lieing scumbag?

urbusted2 says:May 12, 2014 9:46 PM

Quinn wasn’t the starter when drafted at the 22nd spot. Hoyer has the job to lose. Remember, Manziel wasn’t taken with their 1st pick. He may win the job, but he’ll have to earn it.

ytownie says:May 12, 2014 9:50 PM

I’m just LOL at all the Viking fans ranking on Manziel when Minnesota tried like crazy to trade up to 22 to grab him. What would you guys be saying if they would have successful? ” Johnny the greatest since Fran!!!”

Good God, another potentially great NFL QB goes to die in Cleveland. I don’t think Tim Couch, Brandon Weedon, or any QB in Browns history can be to blame. They may have been HOFers if drafted elsewhere! Can’t that owner just be forced to sell the team? Maybe he’s a racist! Smh

Manziel is gonna bust anyway. Might as well as get him in there ASAP so that the team can learn that the curse of Pick #22 has struck again and move on.

miamimike1 says:May 12, 2014 10:55 PM

Browns owner states this psychological he takes the heat off his coach and his rookie quarterback. Now there is no pressure since he is making this statement. When the time is right they will start the rookie. He is deflecting the fan and media rants to play Manziel. I do not see anything wrong with this. It keeps Manziel from saying anything stupid hopefully and the coach can defer questions to the owner if needed. Bottom line when it’s all said and done he will play this year as the starter. Then a few weeks later he will be on I.R So there is no rush.

Johnny will increase the value of the franchise . Dude is like Midas everything he touches turns to gold do the research Texas am donations increased dramatically under this guy he will fob the same for the browns already leading in jersey sales. This guy is a human gold mine. Plus he can ball!! Brian who?
C’mon man

After starting 1st round QB’s before they were ready 5 consecutive times, this declaration has little meaning. Manziel is starter day 1 barring him looking God awful during training camp and preseason.

“… start acting “like a backup quarterback.” I’m no Runziel cheerleader, but what does that even mean?

Haslem is a piece of work and I know the coach and GM (not to mention the players) wish he would just shut up. Yeah, it’s his team and he has the right, but because you can, doesn’t mean you do.

bobzilla1001 says:May 13, 2014 12:40 AM

I don’t care if the Browns have used 100 QBs since 1999. The organization’s problem has been no stability at the top: the head coach. When Butch Davis is your most successful coach over a 15-season span, you know you have front-office issues. Eric Mangini should have never been fired.

browns4ever says:May 13, 2014 1:07 AM

Yes & Haslem NEVER opened his mouth about drafting JM either……

4512dawg4512 says:May 13, 2014 1:38 AM

Hang on, wait. So you’re trying to tell me that the most popular guy in Cleveland is the back up QB? No…..

49erstim says:May 13, 2014 4:02 AM

In a marriage between the Browns and Manziel does he take their name (Johnny Sadness) or do they take his (Factory of Drunken Draft Busts)? Oh… I mean… I’m sure Johnny Back-up will do fine….. right?

As a Skins fan I saw what the AFC north does to rookie QBs. Steelers and Bengals pounded RGIII and Ravens hurt him. Manziel who is smaller,not as athletic, dumber will go against these teams 6 times a year?
Johnny Football=Johnny ER

In those 6 instances of round 1 qbs being drafted and being week one starters..I am quite sure they didn’t have a qb nearly as talented as hoyer on the roster. Shoutout to St.Ignatius btw. Go Wildcats!

75rockrasin says:May 13, 2014 6:52 AM

Hoyer is the starter until fans, who bought up season tickets and re-designed Tim Couch #2 jersey’s, scream for thier #22 draft pick becomes the starter.

Then Johnny football becomes Johnny Quinn.

Fans burn those #2 jersey’s and start selling off those tickets, again.

The continued ineptness of the Browns will come shining through as soon as “Johnny Injured” leaves the pocket for the first time and gets hit by a bigger, faster, stronger DE.
Unless they keep him on the sidelines he’ll be forever known as “Johnny Bust”!

This will not be a popular comment, but I watched Hoyer play last year before he got hurt and that guy played relatively well, enough to see what he has this year.

And no, I’m not a Browns fan.

I think Manizel has the tools to win, but I’m not sure he has the work ethic. He kind of had everything handed to him, so we’ll see. Jerry Rice and other super greats like that had non-stop work ethic and discipline.

No, an owner who makes comments about who the starting QB is or will be instead of the head coach is one indication of a dysfunctional franchise. That typically doesn’t happen with the more successful franchises (Patriots, 49’ers, Seahawks, Saints, Packers, etc.). The unsuccessful ones (Cowboys, Browns, Redskins)…..

Cleveland has probably the one team that has had a crappier 15 year run than the Bills. Maybe they should start whomever is the best qb, even if that means Manziel never gets the chance to win the job cause Hoyer does so well. Like the Bills, they can’t be too picky..

A kid who comes from oil money and is all about Hollywood gets drafted by a team/city that their own owner has stated is the exact opposite. You just have to wonder if anybody in that Browns front office is paying attention to the big picture.